I have recently bought a house in West Hanney, in need of total renovation. It is in the conservation area, so I am writing to you to apply to remove two trees. The house and garden have been unloved for many years and is in a poor state of repair. The garden is very small and totally overgrown, and there are two trees that are potentially causing damage to the house as well as restricting the use of the outside space. Holly Bush - Tree 1 at the Back of the House There is a holly bush in the middle of the back garden. It is so big that it totally dominates the garden and restricts the ability to move around the garden. The holly bush is covered in ivy and the bush is so large that its reach touches both the back of the house and the back fence of the garden, so in effect its breath is the same as the breadth of the back garden. The holly bush restricts light coming into the house. The trunk is 3.1m from the back wall of the house, and its branches are so long they are touching the house. The other side of the trunk is 2.3m from the back fence, and again the branches are so long they reach the back fence. The trunk is about 140cm around the diameter, although difficult to get an accurate measurement, due to the ivy. I don't have an accurate measurement of the height, but as can be seen in photo 2, it is taller than the house. The holly bush cannot be seen from the road when looking at the front of the house. I had a survey done on the house and the surveyor raised concerns that a bush of that size would have such an extensive root structure, that there is a risk the roots are sucking all the moisture from under the house and at risk of unsettling the foundations. The roots have also damaged the drains at the back of the house. Plum Tree - Tree 2 on the West Side of the Property There is a poorly maintained plum tree on the drive, on the left-hand side on the house, as you look at the front of the house from Main Street. The tree has a diameter of approximately 1m around the trunk, and it is positioned approximately 2.4m from the side of the house. The tree is pushing over the fence between my house, Elm View and the house next door (see photo 5). The tree is also now touching the house (see photos 3 and 4). Also, the roots have disturbed the drains running down the side of the house (see photo 6). If the plum tree was removed, then the driveway could be returned to a parking area, thus avoiding having to park on Main Street. I very much hope you can give approval for the removal of these two trees, so then we can clear the garden, redesign the garden and plant more appropriately sized and positioned trees for a garden of that size. If you need any other information, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Elm View, Main Street, West Hanney, Wantage, OX12 0LH